


Last Man Standing

by Shiny_Totodiiles



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Bad ending Au, Chrom is, F/M, It'll be explained, M/M, Multi, Robin is referred to as Becca, Tags May Change, Twin Morgans, also Lon'qu is not Inigo's biological father, and a lot of analysis on Grima and Naga in later chapters, can you tell I love two men and one woman very much, eventually, female is called Marc, for reference Naga is also a bitch here's 99 reasons why, hi welcome to my first ever fanfic on any site period kill me, is a thing, lon'qu/olivia/chrom/My unit, lots of hcs in this AU, theres a lot of poly ships, theres going to be multiple chapters, this is my first fire emblem fanfic that over 1000 words too!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-02-28 19:02:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18762511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiny_Totodiiles/pseuds/Shiny_Totodiiles
Summary: An AU where Chrom survives what would've been the fatal Thoron blow but as a result is left to raise all 14 of the children himself, avenge their parents, and kill Grima, the Fell Dragon whose using his wife's body as its host.





	1. Noire

\---

 

_ “Momma!” _

_ “What is it, what lie did your father tell you this time?” _

_ “I wanna learn magic momma.” _

 

_ \--- _

 

“Are we clear?”

Noire looked down from the tree she was on, one hand on the trunk, the other holding her steady on a thick branch. The two children beneath her didn’t look so big now that she was so high up. From here she could see the dirt path where Severa was, her olive green hair swaying in the slight breeze, and Nah, her white pupils narrowed into slits against the sunlight, like those of a cat would. She could see her claws catch the light of the sun and shimmer like scales.

“Noire, do you see anything?”

The words seemed drowned out as she looked out into the miles, and miles of forest, meadow and mountains in the distance. From where she was sitting, the air smelled fresher, if only a little. Pine sap was sticking to her hands and make her want to sneeze. The tang of sulfur wasn’t strong, but it still lingered like rotten flesh from a carcass. She wished she could stay up here for a while longer, take in the peace, the warmth of the sun and the chill of the wind.

“Noire!” Severa roared, Noire squeaking and nearly falling over. “Is the cost clear?” 

“Y-Yeah.”

“Come down then.” Nah said, twirling a braid in her fingers. “Uncle is probably worrying about where we are right now.”

Noire nodded, still shaking as she climbed down from the tree, feet finding some footing on peeled off, hardened bark. Her feet touched the ground. ‘ _ Back on dusty ground and singed grass. _ ’

“Was there anything of interest you could see?” Nah asked.

“N-No. Just more forest, burnt fields, abandoned villages. I didn’t see any Risen either.”

Nah’s ears flicked, her eyes narrowing as she looked out into the distance. “Lovely, we can probably check the village later with a larger group, for food.”

“Good food I hope.” Severa hissed, sticking her tongue out in disgust. “I’m sick of potatoes.”

“They do last a while though…” Noire interjected, fiddling with her fingers.

“Like us.” Nah laughed. “Haven’t lasted this long because we’re soft.”

“I wish we were.” 

Noire felt the air grow tense, Severa glaring at Noire as the black haired girl, her grip on the band holding her arrows and bow tightening as she lowered her gaze. “Well we aren’t.”

“Severa,” Nah growled lowly. “Don’t start anything, come on.”

“Oh, you’ll know exactly when I want to start something!”

“Sev.”

The half manakete pushed Severa gently, the olive haired teenager huffing as she turned around, starting to walk away. Nah looked back at Noire as she followed Severa, nodding when Noire followed her, matching the manakete’s pace.

The three walked through the silent forest, Nah waving her arms like a child playing a field would, forward and back lazily, her Dragonstone, an icy blue in the forest’s shadow, stuffed into a poorly made satchel she had with her. Severa’s grip on her shortsword never loosened since leaving their hideout, and Noire herself had her bow and arrows in case of an emergency. 

There was almost always an emergency when scouting like this, luckily the three girls had gotten lucky, and they hadn’t seen a single Risen since last week.

The three were scouts, at least until they cycled through jobs at the end of the week, and when scouting, they had to bring their weapons with them. Risen popped out of seemingly nowhere, and rogues and ruffians only wanting to survive would kill for anything. Their Uncle Chrom said it was for their safety, Noire knew it was in case something tried to kill them, be it Risen, other humans, or the God of Ruin himself.

Noire looked up at the sky so her thoughts wouldn’t linger, orange-red painted it, the clouds a soft pink. The archer sighed as she realized what that meant.

“We’re going to be in so much trouble, it’s nearly sundown.” Noire whimpered. “Uncle Chrom said be home before sundown because it’s too dangerous at night.”

“‘Be home before sundown because it’s too dangerous at night.’” Nah mocked, deepening her voice, Severa chuckling behind a hand.

“Nah! I’m serious.” Noire whined.

“Noire? You know that thing your mouth is doing?” Severa said.

“Y-Yeah?”

“Stop it.”

“S-Severa!”

 

\---

 

_ “Now. Do you remember what I taught you?” _

_ “You, uh, have to focus, t-to cast a spell on a weapon.” _

_ “Good. Try it now.” _

 

\---

“We’re home! Miss me?” Severa laughed, tossing her sword sheath to her cot as she walked inside, Noire placing her bow beside her bed as Nah continued forward.

“Curse Naga for sensitive ears.” 

“Sev! Noire, Nah!” Owain beamed at the sight of the them, peeking his head from behind one of the dirt walls in the underground hideout. His blonde hair shined in the torchlight of the chamber like the sunset outside, his green eyes bright as always. “Welcome back to our whimsical little hobbit hole.”

“More like hell-hole.” Brady snorted.

“Brady- OUCH- Brady! Careful with the face!”

Noire cast Owain a puzzled glance before he smiled sheepishly and ducked his head back into the other room, Noire walking over only to squeak in horror.

Inigo was sitting down next Brady, the healer hover his staff over the obvious quills on his face that were remnants of an encounter with a porcupine. The midnight blue hair on his face was frizzed, like he had been sitting there for hours without end.

“Evenin’ Noire.” Brady huffed, only half paying attention to her as he stuck another quill in a bowl next to him. 

“How long have you been here?” She yelped. “Your face looks awful!”

“MY FACE LOOKS WHAT-”

“Since midday, Owain and Inigo came back from hunting early because this princely dimwit thought chasing a porcupine would be a good idea!”

“I thought we could eat them!” Inigo whined.

“No! No we can’t!” Brady snapped. “Have you ever tried skinning one of those things?!”

“If we could use Falchion…”

“We ain’t usin’ your dad’s holy sword to flay open a stinkin’ porcupine!”

“You ain’t got a say in it!”

Owain rolled his eyes as his brother and cousin bickered, turning his attention to Noire. “How was scouting? Did you find anything useful?”

Noire shook her head, Owain’s smile fading into a frown. “Only an abandoned village, it might have food, but we didn’t want to risk it with such a small group.”

“Ah.”

“How were things here?”

He looked at the others in the small center chamber. Severa had joined Kjelle and Cynthia on some supply crates, talking about their day, Gerome and Laurent were on their cots, speaking in a language that Owain didn’t understand all too well.

“Gerome and Cynthia groomed Minerva and Daisy.” He chirped absently, mentioning the Wyvern and Pegasus that had belonged to the riders mothers. “Everyone else did their own thing. Morgan and Marc are in the hot springs right now with Yarne.”

Noire nodded. “And the Annas?”

“Out gathering supplies.”

The two stood beside each other in silence for a moment, Noire rubbing her arms awkwardly before Owain sighed.

“When Uncle gets back we can take a group, unless he and Luci managed to bring back something big enough.”

Noire nodded, smiling softly as he looked over at his brother whacking Inigo on the head, bursting into laughter.

She noticed the ribbon tied to Brady’s staff, a soft pink, a little dirty and tattered but ever gentle against the harshness of the world. His hair was the same gold as Owain’s, a memory of his father. She also heard the jingling on Inigo’s belt, bronze disks that hit against each other adding a rhythm to his step. Inigo’s right eye was a paler gray than his left eye, in it he carried his father’s brand. Both men carried a memento of their fathers and mothers, be it a physical item that could be held in their hands or a trait passed down through their blood.

It had been 8 years since her mother and father had died. That’s what Lucina told her whenever they spoke alone, as Noire hadn’t been there when the bodies were found. Lucina had found a feather in one of her mother’s many spellbooks, a Gryphon one that her mother had treasured deeply, that had been too large for Noire’s headband at the time. Lucina had hoped a memento would help the pain numb, even if only a little, and Noire was thankful for her friend’s thoughts. It had worked, whenever she saw it, or touched it, she thought of her parents, and she remembered they had died protecting her. Noire had a feeling deep down that her mother had cursed it to protect her, the black haired girl hoped she had.

“Noire?”

She blinked her eyes open to see she had made her way to her cot, and had the feather in her hands. Hot tears pricked her eyes, and her face only got hotter when she saw Owain staring at her in confusion from across the cot.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-Yes!” She squeaked. “I-I’m fine-e, I’m alright, n-nothing’s wrong, haha.” She laughed awkwardly, but her frown only returned when Owain’s smile didn’t.

“You don’t seem alright.”

Her gaze rested on his neck, a thick string held the only thing left by his mother in the living world. A shard from her staff, part of the crystal orb and of the hickory wood. 

It didn’t take long for Owain to realize what was wrong.

“N-Noire…”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

“N-No, don’t worry about it.”

The two were quiet once more, but the young boy reached a hand out and squeezed her hand gently, his calloused palm brushing against her slightly softer one.

“We all miss them.”

 

\---

 

_ “Noire, you have to read it as I do.” _

_ “I’m trying momma, I really am.” _

_ “Try harder.” _

_ “But momma…” _

 

_ \--- _

 

“Kids! Is everyone home?”

“Uncle Chrom!”

“Oh thank Naga.”

Noire looked up from her journal when she heard the man’s voice, a smile creeping onto her face as she got off her cot. Chrom was the Exalt of Ylisse, and besides the Annas, the only adult here with the children. Ever since Ylisstol fell, he and the kids had been hiding wherever possible, to stay safe, and ever since the death of the other Shepherds and his spouses, he had been raising all the children as his own.

Noire, and all the other kids that weren’t of his own blood, called him uncle.

Chrom laughed as he was tackled by Owain and Brady, the two boys hugging him tightly as the breath was knocked out of him. “Uncle, Uncle, Inigo got attacked by a porcupine!”

“Inigo got attacked by a  _ what _ ?” 

“Inigo’s an idiot and got himself stabbed a million times by tiny quills.”

“My face is ruined!” Inigo wailed from his cot, lying face down on it.

“Oh, I’m sure you face is fine, son.” Chrom cooed, trying to hide his smile as Owain and Brady laughed.

“Father, where do I put the rabbits?” 

“Luci!!” Owain squealed.

“Dining table, we’ll skin them after washing up.”

“Right.”

Noire walked over to where the family was, Laurent and Nah behind her. “Noire, Nah, how was scouting?”

“We only found an abandoned village.” Nah said with a shrug. “We think there may be food, but we didn’t have our hopes up.”

“There weren’t any Risen anywhere either, those villagers we saw a month ago were right about Risen avoiding the cold.” Noire added nervously. “Hopefully the Feroxi cold keeps them away for a good while so we can train and recuperate.” 

“We’ll see to it in the morning.” Chrom told her. “We could use anything we find.”

Noire and Nah nodded. “Agreed.”

“Thank you for heading out, was Severa any trouble?” He asked.

“Nah.”

“Hm?”

“N-No, not- Ugh…” 

Chrom laughed, ruffling Noire’s hair as she squeaked weakly in protest. “We all do it at some point. Nah, could you wake us up early tomorrow since you’re awake stretching your wings at dawn.”

“Sure. I’ll make sure to wake everyone up  _ extra  _ early.” Nah chuckled. “Gerome owes me for last time.”

Nah hurried off as Gerome shouted a string of profanities at her, quickly chasing after as she laughed. Laurent sighed as they rushed by, walking forward as Noire began to make her way to where Lucina was.

“Did you find anything else besides food?” Laurent asked, Noire wincing at the sharpness of his accent. Laurent spoke French as his first language, his knowledge of English had been basic when he had arrived in Ylisse atop Minerva with Gerome. Even after all this time, his accent remained in his voice, and sometimes it was more clear than other days.

“Sorry Laurent, we didn’t find any tomes.” Chrom sighed, Laurent frowning and adjusting his glasses. “We looked, we promise.”

_ “C’est la vie.”  _ He bowed slightly, “Thank you, though.”

“You  _ could _ come with us next time we head out if you would like?”

“Really?”

Noire shuffled away as the Exalt and mage talked, following Lucina into the dining area through the hallway. 

“Luci!” Noire squeaked.

The blue haired princess looked over, smiling as Noire took one of the rabbits she was carrying. “Thank you, Noire.”

“I-It’s no problem. Was the game poor?”

“We were unlucky is all. But these should keep us feed for two days or so.” Lucina chirped, placing the rabbits down and heading towards the crates. “Winter is getting closer, and the animals here in Regna Ferox hide quickly to avoid freezing.”

“Yes, I guess that’s true…”

“You’ve never been here. Right? This is the first time we’ve camped in Ferox since you joined us.”

“I’ve never seen snow period.” Noire giggled.

“You’ve  _ never  _ seen snow? What about all the times your parents brought you to Ylisse?”

“It was always Spring or Fall when I came to Ylisse, and it doesn’t snow in Plegia, it just gets a little less hot.” 

“Ah, I remember that now. I apologize.”

“Don’t be sorry, our memories all get hazy when it comes to older stuff.”

Lucina nodded, letting out a soft “aha” as she dug deeper into the crate.

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

Lucina pulled out a knife from the crates. “Want to help me skin the rabbits?”

“O-Of course! Pass me a knife.”

 

\---

 

_ “Noire, you have to promise me something.” _

_ “Yes momma?” _

_ “No matter what happens, be it a threat on your life, on your wellbeing, you protect the Exalted.” _

_ “Uncle Chrom and Lucina?” _

_ “All of them. Owain, Ingio, Morgan and Marc.” _

_ “Why momma?” _

_ “Because I made their mothers a promise a long time ago.” _

_ “A promise?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “What kind of promise?” _

_ “I’d never let anything happen to them, not ever, but they made me promise not to curse them. They told me to get strong, and that as long as their children remained alive and well, they would be proud of me.” _

_ “Oh.” _

_ “I might not live long enough to keep that promise. So if I do die, you have to do what I’ve been doing since they were born.” _

_ “I understand mama.” _

_ “Good. Thank you, mija.” _

_ “De nada, mama.” _

 

\---

  
  


  
  



	2. Brady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The resident Healer deals with the ups and downs of dinner.

\---

 

_ “Brady, please behave yourself in front of your cousins!” _

_ “But mah! I wanna play!” _

_ “No buts mister! Now sit down before someone calls you out for your behavior.” _

_ “Ugh… Yes mah.” _

 

_ \--- _

 

“Pass me a fork.”

Brady looked up, mid-chew as Inigo stretched out a hand, palm facing up. The red marks were fading into a dull pink, his other hand held close to them as if he thought covering them would make them hurt less. The healer saw a fork next to his plate too, the blue haired prince not even reacting as his cousin raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Why on this good, green earth do you need another fork, Inigo?”

“I gotta see how my face looks. I can’t live on this planet if my face is ruined.”

Brady rolled his eyes as Severa snorted, nearly choking on her food, olive hair covering her face. The prince was playing with his hair, hoping some of it would hide the small marks caused from the quills.

“Oh boy, do I got news for you…” Severa wheezed.

“Severa! Don’t play around, this is serious!” Inigo wailed. “I am heir to the throne of Ylisse, I need to look my absolute best!”

“For what, the first cute Risen you see?” Severa cackled.

“First of all, I’m heir.” Lucina corrected. “First borns are heirs, my apologies for you being born a year and a half late.”

“Secondly, your face is fine, ya idiot.” Brady snapped. “Now eat your food before Owain takes it.”

“He wouldn’t dare.”

“He’s already got his fork in your rabbit leg ya dolt!” He waved his fork at Inigo’s plate, Owain bursting into giggles as he did so.

Inigo blinked, looking down just as Owain swiped it towards his plate, laughing as he yelped. 

“The greatest swordmaster, Owain, is victorious once more!”

“You give me back my rabbit leg, thief!” Inigo yelped, sitting up. “You’ve already eaten your share!”

“You weren’t even eating your share!” Owain protested.

“Give it back or else!”

“What’re you gonna do, stab me?”

“DAD!” Inigo screeched, Nah covering her ears from beside Brady as the healer groaned, running his hands down his face.

“Oh brother.” She hissed, ears folded back against her head.

“You said it.” Brady grumbled.

“Kids!” A voice called from the springs. “Don’t fight, come on, we’ve been over this!”

“Owain started it!”

“Owain.” Brady’s uncle warned. “Behave.”

Owain pouted, shaking his wrist over Inigo’s plate and dropping the meat. “Fine…”

“Thank you.”

Brady huffed, continuing to eat his food as Owain toyed with whatever was left of his. He knew his older brother was hungry, for Naga’s sake, they were  _ all  _ hungry, with rations so low and the game starting to hole itself up, it would only lead to more hungry nights. That’s how it always was, and as far as Brady knew or cared, it was how would continue to be.

“I’m still hungry.” Owain whined.

“I am too…” Cynthia whimpered. “My stomach hurts.”

“What do you want us to do, Cynthia?” Severa hissed, pointing her fork at the brown haired child. “Find more, ya think it grows on trees? Don’t answer that Lucina.” She snapped, Lucina closing her mouth and digging her fork into her veggies. 

“We could try to find more…” Cynthia protested, forking down another stringy piece of meat. “Daisy and I have been practicing. We could fly to the village you mentioned Sevvy…”

“You  _ know  _ we can’t fly anywhere, Cyn! It’s too dangerous, we could get shot down, or worse!” Severa snapped, pointing a fork at her friend accusingly. 

“What’s worse than being shot down?”

“Being a certain eldritch horror’s lunch.”

Brady put his fork down as he finished eating, sitting back on his chair. “I’d rather not get eaten by a giant dragon of doom.”

“You could say that again.” Severa huffed in agreement, stabbing her now cold rabbit lazily.

“ _ Comida! _ ”

Brady looked over as Morgan and Marc rushed over, taking their seats at the table across from Lucina and Inigo, their blue hair still dripping water. “ _ A comer!” _

__ “Morgan, Marc, you hair is still wet, get back here!” Chrom yelped, rushing out, no longer in the heavy armour he had been wearing most of the day. Brady rarely saw him outside of the white, gold and blue, if he had to be honest, this was probably the first time in a long while when he saw him in his old clothes.

“ _ Pero tengo hambre…” _ Morgan whined, Marc pouting from beside him.

“ _ Cabello primero. _ ” Chrom sighed, Morgan groaning before getting out of his seat, quickly followed by Marc.

“It’s alright you two, the food will wait for you.” Lucina cooed.

_ “Pero comidaaaa!” _

__ Brady chuckled a bit at his cousins sat down on one of the crates, squeaking as Marc’s hair was ruffled by cloth. 

_ “Papa! Cuidado!”  _ Marc yelped.

“Shouldn’t have run out of the Springs then.” Chrom huffed teasingly, “It wouldn’t hurt as much if you had dried it there.”

Morgan squeaked as his own hair was ruffled, Marc already rushing back to her spot. “ _ Papa, por favor, tengo hambre! _ ” The blue haired boy whined, pouting. Brady rolled his eyes as his cousin looked up at his father pleadingly, blue and amber eyes wide as his father sighed. 

“You think I’m not hungry too?”

_ “Pos…” _

“Exactly.” His father chuckled, giving his son’s hair one more pat down before he let him scramble off to his spot beside his twin sister and Owain. 

“Everyone grabbed their share?”

“Yes father.”

Chrom sat down, Brady pushing his plate forward at the same time. “Done.”

“I am too!” Yarne peeped.

“Same here.” Owain added.    


“Off you go, wash your plates.”

“Awww!” 

“You finished eating first, you get to wash them. Unless you want more training tomorrow?”

Owain yelped, rushing to the washroom with his plate. “Sorry Uncle, can’t hear you over the sound of me washing my plate!”

“Y-Yeah, bye Uncle Chrom!” Yarne squeaked, rushing off after his friend, grabbing Brady’s arm.

“OI! Yarne, let me go! Let me go!”

 

\---

 

_ “His leg is broken, Maribelle, who knows if he’ll ever be able to fight again, for sure he won’t be able to wield a sword, or an axe, much less a lance.” _

__ _ “I should’ve been watching him, I could’ve stopped the shelf, I could’ve-” _

__ _ “Maribelle, Naga had this happen for a reason.” _

__ _ “Libra, do not start with your ‘Naga this-’ and ‘Naga that-’ you know how I feel about that lump of scales that calls herself a God. If she really cared about us, none of this would be happening.” _

__ _ “Maribelle, maybe there’s a reason to Brady breaking his leg. This is all according to Naga’s plan.” _

__ _ “Our friends and family dying is according to Naga’s plan?!” _

__ \---

 

Brady huffed as he dunked a plate into the bucket with water,using a damp cloth to wash away all the gunk and ickiness. Upon pulling it out, he inspected it carefully before passing it to Yarne, who took it and began drying it.

           The Taugel and healer rinsed and repeated, literally, working silently with Owain. Brady got sick of the quiet, nudging Owain with his arm.

“Why’re you so prickly today, Owain?”

“Prickly?” His brother echoed.

“Like a burnt cactus in the Plegian summer, you didn’t talk again after Inigo caught you stealing his dinner until Uncle Chrom got to the table.”

Yarne looked up at the brothers, Brady frowning slightly at his brother. “At dinner today, you rarely get upset about a lil’ call out like that. Ya know Uncle’s just playing-”

“I know, Brady, I’m not mad or anything, I’m just tired, and hungry.”

“We all are bro.” Brady huffed. "Everyone's going to go hungry once and while, Uncle Chrom takes the smallest shares just to make sure we all eat."

Owain looked at his brother, green meeting blue, Brady flinching when he saw how glossed they were, as if Owain was ready to burst into tears. His eyes glanced over at his little brother’s bad leg, and the scar over his eye caused from a stray violin string. Brady felt anxious as he was looked over, shifting nervously from where he sat, pouting and looking away. 

“What’re you looking at?”

“You look a lot like dad.”

Brady nearly jumped, Yarne squeaking and almost dropping his plate onto the floor. 

“I look like who now?”

“Dad.” Owain whispered softly. “Uncle Chrom says it a lot too. Your hair, the skin tone.”

“... He does?”

Owain nodded, Brady standing up and limping over, sitting down next to Owain. He put a hand on his back, Owain leaning into the small palm. “What’s got you all nostalgic." Owain didn't answer. "Talk to me Owain.”

“Noire cried earlier.”

“Yeah, I know she cried. I saw her after I finished cleaning Inigo up from the quills.”

“She misses her mom. And her dad. I didn’t even realize I missed mom, ma and dad so much until she started bawling. I felt so weak, so scared and small.”

Brady looked down at the ground, feeling a pang of pain in his chest as he hazily recalled his parents. He barely knew them, he was small when all of them finally passed. He remembered his dad’s laugh, it was loud, and often echoed through the room. His mom was sweet, she was always warm, and her giggles always made him smile, his ma was stern, but she was always there when he needed a shoulder to cry on.

            Lissa, Maribelle and Vaike. Their parents.

            Brady didn't even realize tears had form in his eyes and were rolling down his cheeks. He felt a hand on his cheek, wiping the tears away. "B-Brady, o-oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry!" Brady didn't flinch as he was hugged, wrapping his arms around his older brother as Yarne whimpered.

             ---

 

_ Brady stirred in his bed, head hot and body shivering, pain seared through his left leg, and he was blissfully unaware of the person in the chair next to him. He sighed softly as a hand pressed to his cheek, pressing into it as he sank into a short lived sleep once more. _

_ "No matter what you do Brady, with or without that injury, if you heal or if you fight, I'll always be proud of you." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brady!!! He's so much fun to write for!! I love this lil' dude, it was fun to apply the broken leg headcanons, since his talk model shows him leaning on his staff and my mind went to the gutter.
> 
> Also! Vaike is Brady and Owain's bio dad UwU
> 
> I tried to make Chrom and the Morgans Spanish dialogue easy to read, if Google Translate doesn't help, I speak fluent Spanish and can help you out OwO!!


	3. Marc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marc is visited by someone she remembers.

\---

_ “Mama, Mama!” _

_ “What is Marc?” _

_ “B-Book!” _

_ “You want me to read you that book?” _

_ “Si! Read!” _

_ “Alright, alright, come and sit down dear, bring it over.” _

_ \--- _

 

Marc opened her eyes, darkness welcoming her as she blinked to adjust to the pitch black room she was in. The candle next to the large cot had gone out earlier, and now the only warmth she got from around her were from her blankets and the sleeping body of her father next to her. Beside her her father grumbled something inaudible, Morgan snored from the other side of Chrom, the youngest of the twins rolling onto his stomach, nudging closer into the pillow he was holding with one hand. 

Marc didn’t like waking up in the middle of the night like this, she would wake up with bags under her eyes, and then go to sleep with bruises on her side thanks to Kjelle’s lance. She wished she had inherited less of her mother, her habits, her tics, her physical traits, then maybe she could sleep soundly in the night, maybe then her father would stop staring at her like he had seen a ghost when he thought she wasn’t looking.

The girl tried turning over onto her side, ignoring the whine from her brother as the cot shifted under her movements, pulling her blanket closer and looking at her hands from under the covers. One hand had the exalt brand on it, bright against her skin in the darkness of the room, it stood out like a tattoo, it reminded her and others of who her father was, well, if the blue locks and eyes didn’t already give it away.

Her other hand had the a mark she didn’t know the name of, but whenever her elder sister, or Laurent, or Noire saw it, they flinched, quickly looking away. Her father tried to hide that fact that he frowned and glared at it whenever he saw it, and she knew for a fact he didn’t hate her, he hated what it stood for. There was some hate deep in him for it, that made him tense, and made her feel like he’d stab it if he could.

But what exactly  _ did  _ it stand for? Why did he hate it?

The young princess sighed softly, and got out of bed as quietly as she could, walking into the room where the other children slept. Severa was twisting and turning, a nightmare plaguing her as they typically did every night, Marc added to herself. Gerome slept with Minerva at his side, the Wyvern’s nostrils puffing smoke into the air as she wheezed, her scales were bright, but her scars even brighter, she had seen one too many battles. Cynthia, was smiling in her sleep, and whispering something too faint for Marc to catch, she had seen that face a lot lately, many of the other sleeping children had it too, Owain and Brady did, Noire as well, even Inigo.

They were likely dreaming of their dead parents. Parents that had died in the name of House Ylisse, in the name of the Exalt, in the name of Naga herself. Against Grima. Against Ruin and Destruction himself. Her memories of them were faint, but she remembered Uncle Fred, Uncle Gaius, Aunt Sully and Aunt Lissa.

Marc did not take the fact she was blessed with a living parent for granted, she loved her father, he did everything possible to keep her, her siblings, and her friends safe, even though he didn’t have to. She constantly wished she could head out with him and the older kids, fighting to protect the small flicker of hope they all had that the world could be a better place.

But that would likely never happen. Marc was 11, only a month younger than Brady, and a minute older than Morgan. She was the baby of the team, her father made it his mission to keep her out of the bloodshed. 

_ “As long as I wield Falchion, you will never have to pick up arms for our cause.” _

She knew it was his way of saying she wasn’t strong enough. She was a child, she couldn’t swing a sword during practice drills, magic was limited and tomes were precious, she couldn’t win fights in the drill room, what made her think she could do it out in the real world when Risen would kill her without hesitation.

She wished she could fight like her father and Lucina, swinging their swords with such assurance and killing anything that threatened their family. Or Inigo, although not as strong, he at least was sure of every step he took, he could take an enemy by surprise and have someone else blitz in for the kill. Even Morgan had some sort of expertise in what he did, he was blessed with magical talent, even Laurent struggled to beat him when it was Elwind against Arcfire.

“I wish I was stronger.” She whispered softly, holding her arms.

**“You can be stronger.”**

Marc nearly jumped out of her skin, looking around. That was voice didn’t belong to any of the children, none of them stirred even after the voice had spoken. The shadows were unoccupied, and the nothing but the few candles lit by the others moved.

**“I’m not in that room. You would’ve seen me had I been there.”**

Marc gulped, sweat forming on her forehead as she walked forward slowly. She passed by Laurent’s bed, and quickly snatched one of his tomes from the small crate on the end of it. 

**“What is that, fear? Forward, Fell Blood.”**

Marc blinked at the words. 

Fell Blood. 

She knew that term, but from where, where had she heard it, why did it send chills up her spine and make her mouth dry. Despite that, she kept moving, curiosity over-rid panic

**“That’s right, come on.”**

Before she knew it, she was in the room where the voice was strongest, and she saw a hooded figure stand in the middle, their back to the princess.

Their robes look Plegian, like the ones she had seen corpses of the Grimleal wear, it was torn and tattered, but the skin beneath seemed pristine, almost untouched. Their hands were digging through a ration crate, growling lowly in disappointment, likely from the horrid state they were all in due to lack of food, before closing it again, the crate looking almost untouched as they popped it closed.

**“There’s barely any food here, does he not feed you, Marc?”**

“W-Who are you?” Marc whispered, opening the tome, lightning cracking at her fingertips. “H-How do you know my name?!”

The figure turned around, and Marc dropped her tome.

**“Because I’m your mother, Marc.”**

 

\---

 

_ “But Mama, por que?” _

_ “We need to go talk with your meanie grandpa, honey. I’m sorry, I just got back and I already have to leave after I was gone for so long.” _

_ “Can’t Papa go alone? Can’t you stay here with us.” _

_ “No, dear, not this time. I need to be with him.” _

_ “Okay…”  _

_ “But hey, I promise I’ll be back super soon, and then I’ll never have to leave you alone again, mhm?” _

_ “Really?” _

_ “Really!” _

_ “Yay! Gracias, Mama!” _

 

\---

 

Marc was frozen. No, frozen couldn't describe what she felt. She was petrified, she felt tears run down her cheeks but she did nothing to still them, even an older child would’ve moved to wipe their face with a baggy sleeve, but not Marc. She was sniffing as the woman walked forward, a concerned frown on her face.  **“Oh my baby… My poor baby.”**

Marc didn’t struggle as she was hugged, warmth seemed to radiate from the body pressed against hers, she wasn’t a Risen, she wasn’t a ghost that was part of a horrible, horrible nightmare, this was her  _ mother _ hugging her in the rations room. Marc breathed in deeply, nose buried into the cloaks, the woman even  _ smelled _ of her, a flowery undertone to the slight tinge of the ash and sulfur that clung to everyone still alive. Soft hands stroked her hair, and Marc buried her head into the cloaks, muffling her sobs. 

_ “Mama…” _

A hand tilted her chin up, and Marc practically melted as her mother smiled down at her, her eyes were warm, her hands, her body, everything she had thought was wrong. Her mother wasn’t dead, her mother was alive, she was standing right in front of her, stroking her hair and using her other hand to wipe away the stray tears still rolling down Marc’s cheeks.

**“Don’t cry, honey, I’m right here.”**

“I-I missed you…” Marc whispered. “Morgan, Luci, Inigo, dad, we all missed you so much.”

**“I know honey,”** Her mother cooed,  **“I missed you too, my little bookworm.”**

Marc beamed as she was called by her nickname, her mother smiling. “Little bookworm, I missed being called that.”

The woman blinked in surprise, the expression quickly changing to worry.

**“Does your father not call you that anymore?”**

“N-No, I don’t really have a nickname, unless you count  _ mija. _ ” 

Marc couldn’t read her mother’s expression, but she did see her eyes narrow, she swore the hand in her hair gripped it, but she could’ve just imagined it. Her mother would never do that.  **“Marc… Do you feel unloved?”**

“W-What?”

**“Do you feel like no one here takes you seriously?”**

“I-I guess-”

**“Weak?”**

“Oh, definitely.” 

Her mother let go of Marc, Marc watching her quizzically as the woman turned around, her robes kicking up dust from the floor. She watched her walk to one of the crates, and pick up one of the books nearby.

**“Do you want to be strong, Marc?”**

“More than anything. I could protect everyone if I were strong.”

Marc’s mother nodded,  **“Come then.”** She began walking out of the room, towards one of the hidden entrances that led straight to the small underground hideout Marc and her family called home.

“Huh?” 

**“You wanted to be strong, correct?”** Marc nodded quickly, her mother outstretching a hand for her.  **“I can make you strong. But you have to come with me.”**

Marc looked back, the snoring of her family was quiet from where she was, but she still felt safe knowing it was close. Waking up every morning to laughter and squealing, hunting, training, eating, sleeping, her routine here was clear, and she liked that. Even with her mother right there, she felt like she was being torn from one world into another.

**“Well?”**

Marc looked up at her, and blinked, narrowing her eyes. She grabbed her mother’s hand and let the woman pull her forward, toward the dark and cold.

“Thank you, Mama.”

**“For what?”**

“For taking me home.”

The rations room was now empty of humans, and the only thing left there was scorched ground around an Elthunder tome.

\---

_ “Papa!” _

_ “Marc, no, stay here, you father needs space!” _

_ “Uncle Freddie, let me go!” _

_ Strong arms kept Marc from squirming away, the strong smell of blood filled the corridors, she saw her father, barely conscious as he limped forward with help from her Uncle Vaike and Gaius, Aunt Lissa rushed past her, followed by Olivia and Lon’qu. _

_ “Chrom!” _

_ “Uncle!” _

_ “Marc! Please, just stay.”  _

_ Marc nearly broke into sobs there and then, and then she heard a wail and gasps. _

_ “No!” _

_ “Please, please, tell me you saw wrong! Chrom, don’t die you idiot, tell me you saw wrong!” _

_ She heard voices, and she was lifted up and was being carried away, Morgan yelping as he was picked up by her Aunt Sumia. She wished she hadn’t struggled, that she had listened to her uncle. _

_ She wished she hadn’t heard those next five words. _

_ “NO!” _

_ “Queen Becca is dead!” _

 

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame discord user Tacummies for this angst, this was their doing-
> 
> JK, but hi the plot thickens I didn't even know we had one


	4. Cynthia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cynthia finds out someone she's close with is no where to be found...

\---

_ “Watch this dad, watch, watch!” _

_ “I’m watching Cynthia, I’m watching.” _

_ “I’m gonna be the best Pegasus Knight, just like mommy, I’ll be like woosh, and nyoom! All fear the flower child, Cynthia!” _

_ “You’re doing amazing sweetie, look at you go!” _

_ “And what of your mother and father, don’t they get to be heroes too?” _

_ “UH, DUH. Cynthia, Frederick and Sumia, the greatest royal knights to ever grace House Ylisstol!” _

 

\---

 

Cynthia woke up with a start, her vision blurry and her eyes wet as she yawned, rubbing her face with her palms. The small chamber the children slept in was chilly, but the scrambling nearby let her know Nah was awake, the sound of her claws hitting charcoal and her small huffs alerting Cynthia that she was lighting the center fireplace for the day.

The brown haired girl stretched, squeaking as her bones cracked when she lifted and bent her arm. She repeated the motion with her other arm, and then scooted to move her legs over the edge of the cot. Her cot creaked under the weight, and she heard scales scrape the dirt in the other room.

**_“Who's awake?”_ ** Nah called from where she was, Cynthia having reached for her hair ties.

“Just me!” She chirped sleepily, yawning again. “I was having the greatest dream…”

**_“Did you finally dream of the greatest flower field in the existence of Ylisstol? Because that’s probably just a great dream for you, Cyn.”_ **

“No, even better! I dreamt of my mom and dad!”

**_“Oh really?”_ **

“Mhm!” Cyn hopped off her bed, heading to the crate at the end of her bed and opening it, beginning to rummage. “It wasn’t a memory this time either, it really felt like they were talking to me.”

**_“Maybe that was the tea I made you talking, Cyn, it does give rather vivid good dreams rather than bad nightmares.”_ **

“Maybe! But vivid dream or not, they hugged me before I woke up. It felt really good.”

She looked over to see Nah sneeze, her tail tip flicking as she breathed a plume of fire into the fireplace, blue flames quickly engulfing the wood and ruined cloth place at the center of the dug out hole. “I woke up feeling like I could take on a whole pack of Risen! I don’t remember the last time I slept so well!”

**_“Be it the tea or not, I’m glad you slept well.”_ **

Cynthia beamed, giggling. “Aw! Thank you Nah!”

**_“If you tell anyone I said that I’ll hang you by your sorry little pigtails, Cyn.”_ **

“Noted!” Cyn chirped.

Cynthia pulled out her brush and her armour, setting the metal to the side of her bed and taking the brush into her hand, running it through her hair to detangle it as Nah glowed and transformed into her more humanoid form, tucking her dragonstone into the small satchel she kept it in. She stretched her arms before walking back to the cots lining the other room, her pupils changing back to the iridescent white that were unique to her and her kind, “Oh, oh! Nah!”

“What is it now, Cyn?” Nah sighed, turning on her heel to look at her, her arms crossed and a frown present on her face.

“Thank you, truly.” The Pegasus Knight said. “I know you barely knew your parents, Nah, so you don’t understand really how much it might mean to someone who spent almost her entire life with them and still remembers them so clearly… But-”

“I already told you, it’s no problem.” Nah interrupted, smiling slightly, a rare sight Cynthia would treasure. “Even with all the doom and gloom, a little happiness doesn’t hurt anything, right? You would’ve done the same for me were our roles reserved.”

“Right!” Cynthia chirped.

Nah walked to the kitchen, where the three voices of the Annas let Cynthia know that breakfast was on them this morning. No offense to Uncle Chrom, but she would prefer to actually eat before she had to go raid a village for some goodies.

After brushing her hair, she put the brush away, grabbed her small wing pin, a gift from her mother on her fifth birthday, and headed to the “stables” nearby.

The stables were more like a small cave with lots and lots of hay, and where Daisy, her pegasus, slept. Minerva slept there sometimes too, but she had prefered to sleep next to her rider after he had been hurt earlier in their misadventures. Cynthia quickly snatched an apple from a rations crate near the cave, giggling when she heard Daisy snort when she walked in with the apple in view.

“Hiya, girl! Sleep well?” Cynthia cooed, laughing as Daisy trotted over, sniffing her hair, ears forward and eyes glancing at the apple. “I’ll take that as a yes!”

The girl outstretched her hand, Daisy sniffing the apple before biting it, the horse pawing the ground happily as she ate. “Aw, aren’t you so cute!” Cynthia squealed, hugging her dear stead’s neck, Daisy sniffing her hair once more.

Daisy was the only breathing thing she had left of her mother, Daisy was her mother’s, and she had come flying back into the courtyards of Castle Ylisstol bloodied and barely alive, her mother’s lance in the saddles hold after a large battle near Plegia. Hours later, Sumia had been carried back to the castle by her father, and had died shortly after being taken to the infirmary for healing. 

Cynthia had been six., she had to learn how to ride on what had once been her mother’s pegasus.

She let go of her neck as she looked around, “Bit messy in here, huh?”

Daisy only whinnied in response, her tail lashing, and her pale gray wings shaking. She only now realized about the conversation she had had earlier with Marc, right after dinner as Marc had followed Cynthia to her cot.

“Marc said she would help me clean… I should find her and tell her to help after breakfast.”

Daisy sneezed, furrowing her brow at the noise she made as Cynthia patted her muzzle with a giggle and walked out, leaving her pegasus to her own devices in the cave.

“Marc!” Cynthia chirped happily, “I’m up! Let’s go clean Daisy’s cave, before it gets even messier!”

No response.

Cynthia pouted slightly, biting the inside of her cheek as she poked her head in the kitchen. Marc wasn’t there either, but Minerva and Gerome had joined Nah and the Annas in making breakfast for the group. 

“Hey, guys, have you seen Marc?”

“Nope!”

“Why dear, is she not with her dad?”

“I don’t think so, she said she’d wake up early to help me clean up Daisy’s cave.”

“Ah, no dear, I’m sorry! We’ll give you a holler if we see her.”

“Have you tried the ‘attic’.” Gerome huffed from the bowl he was stirring, Minerva sneezing and shaking out her scales from beside him. 

“Bless you, Minerva.” Nah cooed.

The ‘attic’ was a small cave above the hideout, it was the only spot that had a window out to the world above ground, where a few flowers and grass grew on the dirt and where small crystals glimmered when the moon hit the center pool in it. Marc loved sitting there in the early morning, she remembered, the crystals glowed orange and purple as the sun started rising.

_ “It reminds me of the caves near the castle, the ones my mom and dad would take me to. Morgan says they’re boring, but I really like them.” _

“Oh! I haven’t!” Her pigtails bounced as she squeaked, her hands turning into fists.”I totally forgot to check there.”

“Try there, she hangs out there a lot in the morning when she wakes up early.” Gerone sighed, moving the bowl away absentmindedly as Minerva tried to dunk her muzzle into it to taste it.

“Alrighty!” Cynthia said gleefully, going back out of the kitchen before she squealed, rushing back in and waving her hand frantically. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome kiddo!”

 

\---

 

_ “Cynthia!” _

_ “I’m over here daddy!” _

_ “Cyn, sweetie, please don’t run off like that again. I can’t send half the castle guard off to look for you whenever you disappear into the meadows.” _

_ “Sorry…” _

_ “It’s alright, Cynthia, I know you didn’t mean malice.” _

_ “Ma… Malieece?” _

_ “Malice. Ill-will. Harm.” _

_ “I didn’t mean to hurt you! I just came to take this flower to mommy!” _

_“I know, I bet she’d love them. They’re very pretty.”_  


_“You think so?”_

_ “Where ever she is now, she’s probably hopping with glee, she loves any flowers you pick for her, I’m sure of it.” _

_ “Yay!” _

 

\---

 

Cynthia grunted as she scrambled into the small chamber of grass above ground, pulling her body into the small cave. She had to duck slightly to fit inside, her head brushing the dirt ceiling as she looked around. “Marc!” Cynthia called out, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Marc, we gotta clean Daisy’s cave, where are you Marcie?”

No one responded, the faint bird calls from above the only answer she got. The attic was empty, no one had been in here for a long, long time.

Worry now pricked at her stomach, where on earth was she? Marc wasn’t allowed to leave the hideout, her father would lose it if she even tried sneaking out. Cynthia didn’t want to panic, but after looking everywhere and not finding her best friend, she was starting to feel very anxious.

“... Marc?”

Cynthia pouted, fiddling with her hair nervously before she headed back into the hideout, scaring Yarne senseless when she hopped down from the ceiling hole. The poor Taguel covered his face with her ears, the ginger tuft of hair the only thing she could see clearly as she squeaked in shock.

“GAH, DON’T EAT ME, I’M STRINGY!”   


“Yarne, it’s just me!” Cynthia yelped, a hand over her racing heart.

Yarne moved one ear, red gaze softening as he sighed, his hands letting go of his ears and letting them flop to either side of his face. “Good gods, you scared me half to death, Cynthia! I thought a Risen had dropped from the sky!”

“Sorry, I should’ve looked down to see if anyone was walking by.” She giggled, rubbing the back of her head. “Ya know I don’t like spooking you!”

“Oh, it’s fine.” Yarne wheezed, still shaking. “I should’ve looked up, I’m an idiot for not being more careful.”

“Are not!” Cynthia protested. “You’re super smart, and super strong, and you’ve even got super senses, you’re so cool!”

Yarne shrugged, fiddling with the tufts of fur at the ends of his ears. “What were you doing in the Attic anyway, didn’t Uncle Chrom say it was dangerous to be up there?”

“It’s not dangerous, it’s just not the smartest thing to be doing when the world has been thrown into chaos.”

“Same thing.” Yarne huffed. “Again, why were you up there?”

“I was looking for Marc…”

“You can’t find her?” He squeaked, eyes going wide. 

“No…” Cynthia admitted. “She had promised to help me clean Daisy’s cave today, at first I thought she woke up early, and then I couldn’t find her here, so I went to check the Attic, and when I didn’t find her there…” She held her arms. “I’m really worried, I shouldn’t be but-”   


“You don’t think she snuck out, do you?” Yarne interrupted, fur standing on end.

“I sure hope not… She’ll be in so much trouble with her dad.” Cynthia whimpered, squeezing her arms. “Do you think we should tell Uncle? I don’t want her to get in trouble, but...”

“Have you checked everywhere?” Yarne asked, pouting when Cynthia nodded.

“Not the ration room, I didn’t think she’d be there. Besides, it’s the only place with an exit, she can’t even leave, she doesn’t have a reason to.”

“You’d be surprised, it’s usually the last place you look.” Yarne chuckled nervously. “Come on, lets go look there. Maybe she knew no one would bother her there.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right about that!”

“Then come on, let’s go look for her there.”

Cynthia nodded, Yarne following her as she hurried over, anxiety making her walk faster as she was forced to a stop at the entrance by Yarne, the Taguel tugging her arm sharply, his claws pricking at her skin.

“Ow!” Cynthia squealed, Yarne letting go at her wail, squeaking. “Yarne-!”

“That’s smoke.”

Cynthia flashed him a puzzled look, brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s smoke, I don’t see any smoke?”

“You don’t have to see it.”

“Then what do you-”

“The smell. It smells like smoke. It’s not strong, but it’s not even a day old either.”

The Taguel’s eyes had widen, and his nose twitched, despite human blood running through his veins, his smelling was acute, he picked up even the faintest scents, it was like second nature to him. He often forgot the other children couldn’t do the same as he. She took a deep breath, gagging and doubling over to cough into her hand, Yarne squeaking. 

“Cynthia, are you alright?!” Yarne yelped, Cynthia nodding, chest heaving as she stood up again.

“Smoke?” She wheezed.

He nodded.

“H-How? We never light any fires in here.”

Cynthia looked around, and then spotted a tome, lying on the ground near the center of the room. It was the yellow all Thunder tomes were, even from where she stood she heard the faint sparks it emitted as it laid on the dirt. She rushed over, and noticed the ground was  _ burnt _ near and underneath it, it was like a dragon had breathed its fire onto the earth and scorched it to a crisp.

“What the…” The girl whispered under her breath.

“That’s Laurent’s tome! He said it had gone missing when we woke up, we couldn’t find it!” Yarne yelped, pointing at it. “We nearly got chopped to pieces by Kjelle, we accidentally woke her up…” He whimpered, Cynthia wincing as she imagined that scenario play down in her head.

“What is it doing in here though…” She whispered, Yarne kneeling down beside her, pressing a hand to the ground.

“Cynthia, Marc’s scent is mixed in here, along with something else.” Yarne sniffed the air again. “It smells gross, my nose is hurting already.”

Cynthia smelled it too, it was sulfur. The strong sulfuric scent of outside world clung to everyone who went out, but everyone had grown used to it, but if it suddenly got stronger, everyone felt sick to their stomach. It was stronger than usual in this room, which meant someone who wasn’t apart of their group had come in. She felt fear creep up her spine, Yarne whimpering softly. “Cynthia…”

“No, Yarne, you don’t think-”

“I don’t think. I know. Marc must’ve been kidnapped. That new scent isn’t someone who lives here with us.”

“But there would be Elthunder damage everywhere if Marc had been taken forcefully! Marc never gives up in a fight!” Cynthia wailed.

“What if she didn’t then?”

Cynthia’s eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. “No. Yarne-”

“Yes, Cynthia.” Yarne tugged on his ears, shaking. “Grima was here, Grima knows where we live, he took Marc, he’s gonna kill her Cyn, we’re all doomed, we’re all gonna-”

“YARNE.” Cynthia screamed, grabbing his shoulders and shaking his roughly, the Taguel yelping in shock. 

“W-What is it..?”

“We gotta get Uncle Chrom.”

 

\---

_ “Daddy… It’s too early, the sun isn’t even up…” Cynthia whimpered softly, tugging on her father’s hand, a small fist rubbing at her eyes. The skies were still dark, save for the flames tainting the sky red and orange in the distance. _

_ “Hang tight love, you can sleep again soon.” Her father cooed softly. _

_ “I’m not leaving Ylisse.” _

_ “Chrom-” _

_ “This isn’t up for debate, Frederick, I’m not leaving the Shepherds to fight alone. I need to help you defeat Grima! I OWE it to everyone who’s dead!” _

_ “With what, a Sealed Falchion and one Gleamstone?” Cynthia’s father hissed. “Milord, you can’t expect to win that fight. Even if you had all the Stones and the Fire Emblem, you would need Naga’s blessing to acquire Exalted Falchion. This is one fight Grima can, and will, win.” _

_ “Not with that attitude.”  _

_ “Milord, think of Lucina. If you fall, Lucina will be left to wield the sacred blade and then the world will truly crumble. You cannot leave a child one sword and world full of troubles.” _

_ Cynthia heard her uncle mutter something under his breath, her father glaring at the Exalt. _

_ “Come on squirt, when have we ever gone down without a fight?” Sully laughed. “We’ve been kicking ass for longer than you’ve had Falchion.” _

_ “Yeah, we can handle stalling that lump of scales!” Ricken chirped. “Let’s see how confident Grima feels once I pull out my Elwind!” _

_ Cynthia saw Chrom smile sadly, his hand squeezing the hilt of Falchion, Lucina and Owain behind him, keeping Morgan, Marc and Brady busy as the adults talked. _

_ “... And what of your kids?” _

_ Kjelle shifted beside her, hiding behind Sully. _

_ “Chrom, you dolt, you’ll be alright.” Sully reassured him, punching his arm playfully. “You’ll be fine. Lucina and the nerds ended up just peachy.” _

_ “But-” _

_ “You know we would’ve done the same if our roles were reversed, milord.” _

_ Cynthia looked up at her father as he squeezed her hand. _

_ “... Alright…” _

_ They heard a loud boom, Cynthia yelping and clinging onto her father’s leg. “DADDY!” _

_ “You gotta go now!” Ricken squeaked. “Kjelle, follow Uncle!” _

_ “Dad!” _ _   
_

__

__

_“Cynthia, go.”_

_ “But daddy!” Cynthia wailed, tears in her eyes. _

_ “Don’t argue, go! Stay with Uncle Chrom and protect your cousins, you hear me?” Frederick pried her off his leg and handed her to Chrom, her Uncle holding putting her down and holding her hand. “Take care milord.” _ _   
_

__

__

_“Naga bless you all.”_

_ Cynthia wailed as her father got on his horse, the mare snorting as he turned, his lance in hand. “I love you Cynthia.”  _

_ “I love you more dad…” She whimpered. “Please come back…” She added quietly. _

_ He nodded slightly, turning the horse fully around and letting out a yell, snapping the reigns, and causing the horse to neigh and race off, Sully and Ricken right behind him.  _

_ “Frederick, ya idiot, slow down!” Sully roared. _

_ Cynthia was tugged away from the corridor, her uncle picking up the pace as he hurried to the room the other children were in, his own children and nephews close behind. _

_ “Let’s get out of this hell-hole.”  _

 

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN
> 
> Can you tell I really love Cynthia???? I love her so much, I would die for her...


	5. Yarne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaving the nest would happen eventually...

\---

_ “Mommy…” _

_ “Yarne?” _

_ “I had a nightmare mommy…” _

_ “Come child, you can sleep with your father and I.” _

_ “Grgh… What is happening?” _

_ “Yarne had a nightmare, Gregor. He’s sleeping with us.” _

_ “Ah! Gregor welcome small fluff ball with open arms!” _

_ “Ack! Papa, you’re squishing me!” _

 

\---

 

“You’re certain of this, Cynthia.”

“Yes Uncle Chrom.” Cynthia whined, holding her hands, shoulders slouched and her gray eyes looking down at the ground.

Yarne held his ears, whimpering as his the Exalt paced in front of the two children. The Taguel’s instincts told him to bolt, to get the heck out of there and run for the hills and never look back just so he didn’t have to deal with the anger of the king. He flinched when Chrom sighed, the blue haired man pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Uncle Chrom…?” Yarne squeaked quietly. 

It took all the willpower in him to keep from shrinking as Chrom looked down at him. 

“What is it, Yarne?”

“I… I sniffed more than strange scents when Cynthia and I were in the rations room…”

Chrom stood a little straighter, the man holding his arms tightly. Yarne whimpered, and the man blinked, realizing that compared to the kids in front of him he was a giant. He towered over them, and with his armour on and his sword at his side, he was beyond intimidating. Yarne took a step back to let his uncle lean down in front of him and Cynthia, the young girl fidgeting beside the nervous Taguel.

“Yarne… I need you to tell me what you scented.” 

Yarne looked away for a moment, tugging on an ear tightly as he nodded. 

“I-I… I scented Auntie…” Yarne admitted quietly, holding onto his wrist. “It was faint, and the sulfur masked it well, but… But it was her Uncle, I scent Aunt Becca.”

His uncle’s eyes widened, shining a pale gray in the light of his chamber. Cynthia looking at Yarne like he had just grown an extra head, her own eyes looking like they’d pop of of her head. 

“You scented Auntie and you didn’t say anything?!”

“Cynthia, shush.” Chrom hissed quietly, Cynthia bowing her head respectively. 

“Yarne, you have to be 100% sure about this. Did you really scent your Aunt Becca in the rations room?”

Yarne nodded with confidence, his uncle looking away and sighing. The Taguel watched him stand up, his back to the two as he pondered, Cynthia kicking dirt up nervously, as the three stood there in silence. Yarne jumped as Chrom huffed, not turning to face him and Cynthia as he spoke. 

“Tell the others to pack their belongings, only the necessities.” Chrom said lowly. “We leave shortly.”

“H-Huh?!” Cynthia yelped loudly.

“W-We’re leaving the hideout?!” Yarne yelped, eyes wide as Cynthia’s mouth dropped.

“Grima knows of our location and was bold enough to come in. He knew he could come in undetected and take something like he owned it.” He spat out those last words like if they were venom. “We either leave or risk Grima setting foot here again and slaughtering us all in our sleep.”

Yarne gulped, trembling as Chrom walked behind them towards the chambers. Several yelps were heard as the door opened, the pattering of feet alerting Yarne to the fact that a good chunk of the other children had been eavesdropping on the conversation.

Wonderful.

Yarne walked out slowly, Cynthia in tow as the few kids who hadn’t booked it stood outside Chrom’s room. The others were anxiously packing, Cynthia hurrying to join the others after bidding Yarne a quick and short goodbye. Only three were in front of Yarne as he let anxiety claw at his belly.

Lucina, Inigo and Morgan. The only children whose hair was the same midnight blue as Chrom’s, Morgan the only child with the same brown eyes, Lucina the only of the three with a brown streak in her hair and Inigo the only one with the same steely blue eyes of his father.

Aunt Becca’s children, of course they would want to know of their mother’s whereabouts, would want to know if she had really been so close after so long, would want to know if she was still  _ alive _ . Yarne whimpered as Lucina searched his gaze for anything that would tell her something about her mother, Yarne forcing himself to keep the eye contact between them as her hands balled into fists.

“Yarne…” Lucina whispered. “Did you really…?”

“Yes.” Yarne said, voice shaking. “I did.”

“She’s alive…” Inigo whispered, for once his voice quiet, Yarne letting go of his ears as the blue haired prince ran a hand through his hair. “Mum’s alive.”

Yarne understood the pain Inigo was going through, not only had Inigo lost his mum Becca, but his mom Olivia and papa Lon’qu. He had lost one more person than most everyone who lived in the hideout, and finding out one of them maybe alive must’ve been a balm on his broken heart.

Lucina covered her mouth, her eyes growing glossy as silent tears fell and rolled down her cheeks. “B-But she’s Grima, she’s trying to kill us, mother is-” 

“Mama’s not on our side?” Morgan whimpered softly. “Is that why she came and took Marc?”

“N-No, that’s not it. There’s a reason Grima came here and left with Marc, there has to be.” Yarne yelped. “Like-”

“Like what? Is she just rubbing it in our faces that we’re not safe anywhere we go?” Lucina hissed sternly, eyes narrowing as she jabbed a finger into Yarne’s chest. “Is she toying with us?”

“I-I-”

“Kids!” 

The Exalt’s kids looked over as there father called them, Morgan racing over as Inigo followed him, Lucina the only one left standing in front of Yarne. 

“Lucina, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you upset-”

“Yarne, it’s fine, just-” She turned around quickly. “I gotta go.”

Yarne watched as the princess hurried off to join her siblings, the Taguel sighing softly as he went to his own cot and started packing his things into a small leather bag. Clothes, a few keepsakes he couldn’t live without, his mother’s ring included, and his Beaststone. He held the blue sphere in his hands before stuffing it inside the satchel and putting it on, rubbing his arms together as he shook.

Their hideout was the one place they all felt safe, despite it being the Annas, they had made it their home. The kids had made memories here for the longest time and now they had to abandon it in fears of Grima returning to finish the job and kill them all.

“I really wish you were here to protect me, ma…”

 

\---

 

_ “Momma, are we there yet? I’m cold...” _

_ “Almost my son, we’ll be safe shortly.” _

_ “Momma?” _

_ “Yes Yarne?” _

_ “Did we really have to leave Ylisstol…? I miss my friends, and my bed, and-” _

_ “... Gregor.” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “Can you hold onto Yarne for a moment. I’m going to scout ahead.” _

_ “Gregor will happily hold small child for few moments.” _

 

\---

 

“Gerome and Cynthia are just finishing up saddling Minerva and Daisy for flying, we should be ready to go in a few minutes.”

“Alright, thank you Luci.” Chrom chirped, his daughter nodding as she rushed off to check on the two young riders outside again. Yarne was trembling, Brady had told him to stop shaking so much already, he wasn’t ready to be yelled at again if he decided to snap once more, so he focused on his uncle. 

Chrom stood proudly in front of the group, furthest from the entrance, standing tall, one hand holding the red hilt of Falchion and the other had the Fire Emblem strapped to it, only the green stone Vert placed neatly into one of the five spots on the golden shield. This was the first time Yarne had seen him with it, and it likely would not be the last.

“Chrom!”

Yarne looked over from his spot in the exit chamber, the Annas racing over, the triplet merchants wide eyed and confused. The three owned the hideout, the youngest of them had joined the Shepherds for a short while before being hurt too badly to keep fighting. She told the kids stories about their parents constantly, and Yarne loved hearing about his mother and father as much as any of the other kids.

“Y-You’re leaving?” Anna asked. 

Yarne felt a pang of sadness as her voice shook. The Annas had basically co-raised the children alongside Chrom, it was like having one dad and three moms, they repaired their clothes, taught them how to clean their weapons, how to forge, how to hunt and to fight. They were a part of the family, and leaving them was like being torn away from home.

“We have to, Grima knows where we are, it’s no longer safe for any of us to be here.” Chrom said, voice steady as his gaze stayed level with theirs.

“And he has Marc, we have to find my sister!” Morgan squeaked. “I’m not going to let any mean dragon just take my twin like that!”

“Morgan,” Yarne whispered. “Shh, the adults are talking.”

Morgan looked up the Taguel, Yarne patting his shoulder as he looked down at his feet, hands holding the bag slumped over his shoulders tighter.

The triplets cast each other glances, whispering softly to each before the youngest Anna stepped forward. She quickly found he place in between some of the kids, holding the hilt of her sword tightly. “I’m with you.”

“Anna!” Ana yelped, her older sister covering her mouth with her hands.  
“You don’t need to come with us, we’ll be fine on our own.” Chrom insisted, shoulders tensing as Anna joined him, the red head rolling her eyes and smiling.

“You can’t stop me, Chrom. Besides,” She looked at her sisters, green eyes meeting blue and brown. “You have people who rely on your supplies to stay alive and safe, if all of us go, more people will die.”

“Which is why you should stay here. I almost lost you once when you were with the Shepherds, I can’t be responsible for losing you for good.”

“You _ almost  _ lost me, emphasis on almost, big guy. I’ve taken worse hits than the one you saw in Valm. I’m made of tougher stuff than you may think, Blue.” Anna giggled.

Yarne had never seen Chrom relax so quickly at the mention of a nickname, Yarne had rarely seen his uncle  _ smile _ , it felt like a small blessing to see him look at the red haired merchant so softly. Yarne’s ears picked up the soft “Thank you” that Chrom whispered to her, Anna nudging his arm as she giggled.

The eldest sisters frowned, Ana having crossed her arms as she tried to contain her tears. Yarne could only imagine the pain they were going through, losing Chrom and the children and now their sister too? It must make them feel like their limbs were made of stone. However, Anah, the oldest of the three finally sighed. “Just promise you’ll stay safe, alright?”

“I promise. Prices aren’t the only thing I can cut in half.” Anna chirped, a finger to her chin as she stuck her tongue out playfully, some of the kids giggling at the action. 

“Auntie Anna’s gonna kick butt with us!” Owain beamed.

“We promise, you two, once this is all over, we’ll bring her back safe and sound.” Chrom said with a smile, Ana and Anah nodding.

“We’re holding you to it, Chrom. If she so much as bleeds when she’s out with you and the kids I’ll curse you with awful storefront deals.”

“Oh gods, the horror.” Chrom laughed, “I’ll never step foot outside without fear of spending too much.”

Anah burst into a fit of giggles, Chrom chuckling before Lucina shook his shoulder lightly. “Father, Minerva and Daisy are saddled up, we’re ready to go.”

Yarne gulped as Chrom nodded, one hand already in his satchel, gripping the Beaststone in his hand tightly. They were ready, they were really going to leave now. This was the start of the end.

“Alright, does everyone have their weapons?”

“Wouldn’t leave without them.” Kjelle huffed, crossing her arms with ease despite the armour she wore.

“Stones?”

“I’ve got both of mine.” Nah sighed, cracking her fingers.

“I’ve got mine right here.” Yarne added, his free hand tugging on his ear nervously.

“All personal belongings?”

“If ya mean the keepsakes we got from our mas and pas, then ya, Uncle, we got ‘em all with us.” Brady grumbled, leaning on his mother’s staff for support.

“Are we ever going to come back here dad?” Inigo asked.

“I don’t know. I really hope that by the time we do what we have to do there won’t be a need for us to hide out here anymore.” Chrom replied, Inigo only nodding.

“I do too, dad.”

The kids let him make up the front of the group, Morgan rushing over to grab his father’s hand. Gerome and Cynthia poked their heads in from the outside, squeaking as their uncle came out. “Alright, lets go.”

“Be safe kids!” Ana called.

“Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do!” Anah squeaked.

“Don’t do anything Anah wouldn’t do!”

“HEY!”

Yarne smiled a bit as they got out of the hideout, the group waiting for Minerva to push the large boulder in the way back into place, the Wyvern’s claws digging into the ground with the last shove of her head. The rock fell back into place, and the kids all breathed in collectively. 

“Thank you Minerva.” Gerome patted the Wyvern’s muzzle gently as she turned back and waddled to the group.

Yarne chuckled as the Wyvern licked her rider’s hand before letting him climb onto her back and into his saddle. Nah had pulled out her Dragonstone, the girl holding it up and transforming with ease, a task that came so naturally to her that she was a dragon in mere seconds. 

**_“Alright, I can carry two of you on my back-”_ **

“DIBS!” Severa squealed, rushing over and hugging on of Nah’s legs as the dragon’s ears folded back.

**_“I regret saying that.”_ **

Laurent quickly called the other spot on Nah’s back, at least now walking wouldn’t be too much of an issue, Yarne thought.

Yarne pulled out his Beaststone as well, the others noticing him hold it up over his head and rushing out of the way.

“Monster bunny incoming!” Owain yelped.

Yarne let light of the blue stone engulf him, his body feeling warm all over as he felt his ears straighten, his claws get sharper, his back legs get longer and his face extend to form the familiar muzzle he felt more safe with. The glow disappeared, he was covered in heavy armour and fur now, but at least this way, he could fight, he didn’t have to worry about a Risen getting the jump on him when he was the size of a house.

Yarne couldn’t ask who wanted to be on, Brady couldn’t walk fast enough with his bad leg, and Morgan was the youngest of the group, he had to take up the responsibility as furry stead for the two. Besides, compared to Nah, his fur was easier to hold onto.

**_“Alright, Morgan, Brady, get on.”_ ** Yarne cooed, looking over at the two. 

“Bunny ride!” Morgan beamed, rushing over and scrambling onto Yarne’s back with ease, the blue haired prince helping his cousin scramble on as Yarne leaned down for Brady.

“Alright, alright, I’m on.”

_ “Andle conejo!”  _ Morgan squealed.

**_“Gack, the ears! Don’t tug on the ears!”_ ** Yarne squeaked.

“Papa! Where are we heading to?” Morgan asked quickly after letting go of Yarne’s ears, the Taguel whimpering as they stung. Morgan was setting his head down on the mane of fur on Yarne’s back and neck, the perfect pillow for the long ride ahead.

“Mt. Prism.”

“Where Naga rests?” Lucina asked.

Her father nodded as the group began to walk, Lucina catching up to him quickly as the other kids got lost in their own conversations, save for Yarne, curse his acute hearing. “But why, we don’t have the rest of the stones for the Fire Emblem, we cannot perform the Rite of Awakening without all five stones and the Fire Emblem itself.”

“I just need to talk to her, not to perform the rite.” He assured his daughter. “If anyone knows where Grima may have taken Marc, it’ll be her. She has eyes everywhere, and she’ll be keeping an eye on Grima, for certain.”

Yarne felt his gaze dart to the sky quickly, the sun not even halfway up the sky yet. It would be a long journey to the holy dragon’s sanctuary. 

**_“Please Naga, please help us find our friend, help us end this war once and for all…”_ **

\---

 

_ “Yarne, move!” _

_ Yarne squeaked as his mother’s muzzle nudged his behind into the air, nearly flinging him across the clearing they were in. Sharp rocks stabbed into his paw pads, but the pain was numbed thanks to the rain pouring down onto him and his family. He could barely see, and everything was too sore, too loud, too strong, he felt like he would pass out from the over stimulation. _

_ “Panne!” He heard his father yelp, the small Taguel making out the ginger hair and green eyes of his dad in the near black surroundings. “We must be get of the going! Gregor see Risen everywhere!” _

_ “If we turn our backs on them now we’re as good as dead!” Panne snarled. “They want us to scatter so that they can take us down easily!” _

_ He saw his mother dodge an axe to her shoulder, her claws flashing in the light the lightning gave as she felled another Risen, her back legs kicking several away and into the darkness. _

_ “Gregor is no coward, he stay and fight with family!” _

_ “Momma! I’m scared!” Yarne wailed. “I wanna go home!” _

_ Yarne saw the blazing red eyes of his mother as she looked at him, in them he saw the most primitive twinkle, the response to fight or to flee. Fight or flight. His mother knew something  he didn’t, she knew that only one of the three there would make it to Ylisse alive. She knew for certain that it would not be herself. _

_ “Gregor!” Panne roared over a boom of thunder, the lightning that followed it lighting up the sky and his mother’s shape, her fur plastered to her skin by the rain. Yarne gasped softly as he saw how many wounds she had, and even despite them, she stood tall, an unflinching figure in the raging storm. _

_ “Yes?” His father called from beside Yarne. _

_ “Take Yarne and run. Warn Chrom!” Panne hissed, headbutting another Risen that got too close for comfort. _

_ “What?!” _

_ “You have to warn Chrom that the Risen are here in Ylisstol!” Panne ordered. “You have to take Yarne and run!” _

_ “Gregor would never abandon his wife!” _

_Panne snorted, “You idiot human! This isn’t about loyalty to your warren you fool! You have to get out of here! RUN!_ _“_

_ “NO!” _

_ Yarne wailed as he bolted between a pair of Risen, stumbling and rolling towards the edge of the clearing, the stones that once stabbed at his paw pads and made them bleed replaced by soft, wet grass. His fur was now wetter than ever, but he wasn’t caught up in the fray anymore, he was out of the fight. _

_ Yarne scrambled onto his paws, shaking his pelt as he looked back to where his parents were still fighting as they squabbled, Panne throwing Risen aside like dolls and Gregor slashing they open with his sword. Yarne was about to leap back to help them, to be fighting with his parents, before Gregor looked back at him. “YARNE!” _

_ “Y-Yes papa?” _

_ “Papa needs you to run, do less of the talking and more of the running!” Gregor snapped, Yarne trembling in place.  _

_ “B-But papa-” _

_ “No excuses! Gregor told you to run!” _

_ “Yarne! Listen to you father!” _

_ “B-But mama-” The Taguel whelp started once more. _

_ “Yarne, please, just run!” _

_ Yarne’s eyes widened, one paw hitting the mud behind him before he whipped around and bolted, the roars of his parents fighting the hoard of Risen quickly being drowned out by the rain pelting him. _

 

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOOD GOD THESE CHAPTERS JUST GET LONGER AND LONGER HOLY CRAP-
> 
> Yarne's chapter was more of a transition chapter, but we're getting to the good stuff! Writing for Yarne was hard, but I really enjoyed his parents supports with each other and him so it gave all the energy I needed!! Gregor is amazing pass it on.
> 
> Next chapter will be either Severa or Kjelle, you're all free to poke me on which you'd like to see first!!
> 
> Have a wonderful day~


	6. Kjelle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not even abandoned forts are safe from chills...

\---

 

_ “Momma, momma, can you teach me how to ride today, please, please?” _

_ “Ah, so the pipsqueak wants to learn how to ride at last?” _

_ “Yes, yes! Please momma!” _

_ “Sully, please be gentle with her, I don’t want her getting hurt!” _

_ “Relax, Ricken, Kjelle’s a big, strong girl, aren’t you?” _

_ “Yeah!! I’m big and strong like momma!” _

_ “Atta girl!” _

 

\---

 

Kjelle dug the steel, blunt end of her lance into the ground as she used it as a glorified walking stick. The young girl was trained for vigorous exercise, she remembered going on runs with her mom, although she often wondered if the races they held were fair when her mother would race on her war horse and Kjelle in full armour while on foot, but even now she felt tired, keeping up with the others was proving to be a challenge and had it not been for Yarne’s kindness to tag along in the rear with her, she would’ve been left behind in the back.

“Are we there yet?” Morgan whined from his spot on Yarne’s back, the Taguel seeming nowhere near exhausted. 

“Yeah, uncle, are we at Mt. Prism yet?” Brady chirped.

“We’ll be lucky if we’re even half way there by moon rise.” Chrom sighed, looking up at the sky, the sun nearing the horizon ever so slowly, the shadows cast by the group long and dark. “It’s a long way, and even after that we have to climb to the sanctuary at the top of the mountain to speak with Naga.”

“She’s all the way at the top?!” Cynthia squeaked. “No way!”

“Why couldn’t dragons be less extra and sleep on the gosh darn ground like normal critters!” Noire wailed. “Camping out is the worst, anything can jump out at you and gobble you up.”

“Don’t worry Noire I’ll protect you!” Owain chirped. “My sword hand itches for a good fight!”

“Golly, I wish we were all like you Owain, I’d love to sleep on branches and dirt again.” Kjelle growled, rolling her eyes.

“I don’t want to sleep on branches again, my back is sore enough as is.” Inigo whined. “What with all that practice you put us through earlier today Kjelle.”

“You’re the one who nearly knocked me off my cot looking for a stupid tome!”

“It’s not stupid, it was my mother’s, for your information!” Laurent yelped, “And at least I have more than a sorry old ring!”

“Come down here and say that to my face, bookworm!”

“KIDS!” Every kid let out a squeak at the roar from Chrom, who turned his head to glare at them all. “I won’t tolerate fighting of any sort between us. Infighting divided you parents at their worst, don’t let it divide you too.”

“Sorry Uncle Chrom.” Kjelle muttered.

“Sorry.” Laurent huffed, turning away from Nah’s shoulder to look back at his book.

The children returned to walking in silence, Morgan tugging on Yarne’s ear gently, the Taguel beside Kjelle looking behind his shoulder.  **_“What’s up little guy?”_ **

“I’m tired… And hungry.” Morgan whimpered. “And I miss Marc, and home, and…” HE trailed off, sniffing and wiping tears away with an oversized sleeve. “M-Mama…”

**_“I miss my mama too.”_ ** Yarne chirped.  **_“Be strong for a bit more, we’ll find a place to rest soon, right Anna?”_ **

“Right! We’ll find a safe place to stay in kids, no worries.” Anna chirped joyfully. “And then Chrom and I will go hunting too. We’ll get the best thing there is to eat out here in Feroxi! Bear!”

“EWWWW!”

“Bears gross, Auntie!”

“Is not!” Chrom protested, “You all inherited your parents awful taste in food, bear is the best meat there is.”

“It smells like rotten ol’ boots!” Brady gagged.

“And tastes all stringy and gross!” Cynthia whined.

Kjelle sighed, using her wrist to wipe sweat off her face, pale red bangs stuck to her forehead due to the moisture. Even in the fall the air was warm, and with her armour on Kjelle might as well have been burned by a dragon’s fire. At least with the sun setting the air would chill and she could walk without feeling like every bone in her body would melt.

“Hey! Uncle!” Severa squeaked from on top of Nah, the manakete having swooped down closer to the trees so that the olive haired girl could speak with Chrom. 

“What’s up Severa?”

“Well me, first of all. Duh. But Nah, Laurie and I spotted something up ahead! It looks like an old fort!”

**_“It looks abandoned, too, we could sleep there!”_ ** Nah added.

“That must be the one marking the Feroxi and Ylissean border.” Anna quipped. “Good to know we’ll have a spot to rest in for the night.”

“Agreed, alright kids, we can slow our pace, we’ll be resting up ahead!” 

“Yay!”

Kjelle picked up the pace to walk alongside Lucina, the blue haired princess smiling at her friend. “Kjelle, how are you holding up?”

“I’m alright, I’ve had worse days.”

“Worse seasons, I can only imagine how summer in that thing must be.” Lucina chuckled as Kjelle grimaced.

“Damn right about that.” She grumbled, her gaze darting to look up at the cherry pink manakete above them, the tips of Laurent’s hat visible from where she stood.

“He didn’t mean what he said you know.” Lucina said.

“Oh, he meant it. Bastard’s lucky he’s up there and not down here.”

“Kjelle,” Lucina whispered, “He didn’t mean it, he’s just upset we had to leave.”

“Aren’t we all?” Kjelle hissed. “We’re all upset, we just left our only know place of safety, a lot of us are cold, hungry and scared out of their damn minds, but no one else is acting like a prissy brat.” 

Lucina’s gaze held steady, her resolve unwavering. Kjelle couldn’t help but relax her shoulders and sigh, pinching her nose as inhaling deeply. “I know it’s hard to have lost your mom like you did, not all us were present for our parents deaths.”

“Mhm.” Kjelle grumbled. 

“But even a small memento is a blessing, and I agree that Laurent had no right to rub in your face that you had less than he did.”

“Finally you’re talking some sense Luci.”

“But-”

“Oh no here we go.”

“You shouldn’t have threatened him either. You could’ve ignored him and let him deal with the anger himself.” Lucina urged softly. “You’re no good to us when something else is distracting you Kjelle.”

Kjelle looked away, gripping her lance tightly. She hated this. These short lectures from Lucina that made her feel like yes, she was right, and Kjelle was wrong, she felt her stomach do flips and she wished she could just rewind time and do it over again so that Lucina wouldn’t have to lecture her. However, the red head liked it somewhat, at least this way they had some time to talk between themselves without anyone else jumping in and wanting to bother Lucina about something.

“Alright,” Kjelle sighed, cracking a small smile. “You’ve made your point Luci.”

Lucina giggled, “I’m glad to have gotten through to you friend.”

Again with the flips in her stomach, she swore had it not been for the armour being hot as hell that Lucina would’ve seen the blush on Kjelle’s face.

“Luci, Luci!” Morgan’s voice rang from behind them. “Come tell Brady about Auntie Lissa and Uncle Vaike!”

“Coming!” Lucina turned around, giving Kjelle’s shoulder a pat before she walked over to Yarne, her pace settling to one similar to the Taguel’s, leaving Kjelle to walk near the front of the group. “Now, what do you want to hear about them?”

 

\---

 

_ “And with a small dose of hickory leaves…” _

_ “Papa!” _

_ “Oh! Hiya, sweetheart, what brings you to the library?” _

_ “Momma went out with Uncle Vaike and Freddie.” _

_ “Ah, so you’re alone with me, huh?” _

_ “Yeah! What’re you doing?” _

_ “I’m working on a tonic that’ll give our soldiers more strength.” _

_ “But the soldiers are already super strong!” _

_ “Yeah, they are honey, but they have to be even stronger if we want to win and stop this war.” _

_ “Ah. That makes sense.” _

_ “And you Kjelle?” _

_ “Hm?” _

_ “Are you strong?” _

_ “Yeah! Super strong!” _

_ “I need a break before I go insane, so how about we go out and train before your momma comes home?” _

_ “Yeah!! Let’s go train papa!” _

 

\---

 

The walls of the old fort were grim, moss was creeping onto them like a curse, and without any windows, the whole place was dark and humid, but at least that meant it was pleasantly warm compared to the outside tundra. Kjelle sighed as she let her armour fall, leaving her in only the lighter coverage that would protect her but focused more on her mobility. 

“Smells like rain.” Nah grumbled, sticking her tongue out as her ears flicked disapprovingly. “I hate rain.”

“Most dragons do.” 

“At least it’s warm, and I bet there are blankets somewhere around here!” Inigo beamed. “Dad, dad, can we go look for some blankets, please, please?”

“I don’t see why not. But not alone.” Chrom said quickly. “Take at least three others with you, safety in numbers.”

“Okay!” Inigo beamed, rushing back to the group of kids, the majority of them setting their things down, Minerva and Gerome bringing in some sticks and logs they had found outside to start a fire. “Guys! Who wants to go look for some blankets?”

“Oh! I’ll go!” Severa chirped. 

“I will too!” Owain added.   
“I’ll come.” Kjelle hesitantly added. 

“Awesome! Come on, lets go look!”

“Inigo slow down you dolt, my legs feel like they’re gonna fall off!” Severa roared, racing after the prince, Owain laughing as he and Kjelle ran after them. “INIGOOOOO!’

The fort was dark, but after catching up with Inigo (who had bolted back to the group after realizing just how dark it was) and returning to the group to get a torch lit by Nah, the group was walking through the corridors with ease. 

“This reminds me of Regna Ferox’s castle. I used to run down the halls all the time when my pa and ma were busy with meetings, I’d chase servants with plush minks and bother Uncle Basilio.”

“Aw, that’s sweet!” Owain cooed.

“I bet we’ll find the blankets in one of the large rooms, in the castle we kept them in one room instead of a closet, it helped to keep inventory with everything else.”

“Where would the large rooms be?” Kjelle huffed.

Inigo froze at a fork, “Hm… This way!”

Kjelle frowned as the three followed him down a hall, a door at the end. “Here!”

Kjelle felt odd once they were close to the door, it was like dread crept up her spine and bit down on her neck. Fear.

“Inigo… Don’t open that door.” Kjelle whispered, Severa whipping her head to look over at her, frowning.

“Huh? Why not, I’m cold and I’m not sleeping on cobble, even if my life depended on it!” Inigo protested, glaring at the red haired knight. “Besides, what’s the worst that could happen, I release a bunch of rats into the fort?”

“Rats are disgusting! And they eat meat!” Severa wailed. 

“Do not!”

“Do too!”

“Inigo!” Kjelle snapped, “Do not open the damn door.”

“What will you do, stab me?”

Kjelle rose her lance as he opened the door, Owain and Severa holding the hilts of their swords as it slowly creaked, revealing a dark room. Inigo turned back to face them, smirking. 

“See.” He stepped inside. “It’s safe! Come on!”

Kjelle cautiously walked forward, lance still in her hands as she looked around, Severa and Owain flanking her. The room seemed empty, save for a candle and a few scatter blankets, someone must’ve lived here before the world turned into one giant, burning junk heap.

The candle, however, seemed odd, Kjelle made her way over to it, and kneeled down to look at it, with the light from Owain’s torch nearby she could make out the faint smoke coming from it.

Wait.

“There’s someone here!” Kjelle roared, barely registering the yelps from the other three before light burst from a corner, knocking Kjelle into the wall with a thud. Thank Naga for armour. There was a collective scream of terror from Severa, Owain and Inigo as their friend was hit by a spell, a figure’s eyes opening from the shadows, a blazing amethyst. 

“Observant pests!”

Kjelle hurried to her feet, Severa helping her up as Owain unsheathed his sword, Inigo trying to scramble away from the corner of the room. Kjelle tensed as he was grabbed, headlocked by what Kjelle could make out to be a woman with white hair and a strange outfit, only slightly visible from the heavy fur robe she wore. She held a knife to Inigo’s throat, the boy in her arms trembling as he tried to his skin as far away from the weapon’s blade.

“First you wake me up with your obscenely loud yelling, and then you burst in here like you own the place!?” The woman roared. “You should be taught a lesson!”

“DAD!” Inigo wailed, bursting into tears. 

“Shut up you brat!”

“Let Inigo go!” Severa snapped.

“We won’t tell anyone you’re here!” Owain added.

“Or what, you’ll kill me? You’re all fifteen at most!” 

“Less! But we could still kick your ass!” Kjelle roared, “Drop Inigo or I’ll stab you so many times you won’t be able to drink water without looking like a pin cushion!”

“Fiesty little girl. I should curse you.”

“She’s a dark mage!” Severa hissed.

“Worse. A sorcesor.” 

“INIGO!” A voice called from a few halls away. Kjelle felt powerful, Chrom would be here soon, stall a little longer, make sure she kept talking and keep Inigo alive until they had her piss herself with fear.

“DAD!” Inigo screamed in response. “DAD, HELP ME!” 

“I said be quiet! I’ll kill you and your dad too if I hear another word out of your mouth!”

“You and what army! It’s three of us and one of you!” Owain snarled.

“You underestimate a sorcesor of Plegia.”

“Oh great, a Plegian!” Severa hissed. 

“INIGO!” The door burst open, Falchion catching the light of the torch as the woman took a step back, Inigo trying to kick her but failing miserably. 

“Dad!”

Kjelle saw the woman freeze as she caught a glimpse of Chrom, her eyes widening. Chrom freezing and glaring at her, hands gripping Falchion’s hilt even more tightly. 

“Aversa!”

“Oh just my luck.”


	7. Owain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cults only stay intact for so long.

\---

_ “Aw, mom, I wanted to go play with Morgan and Cynthia! The justice cabel’s next meeting is about to start!” _

_ “It can wait, you’ll be late for your test!” _

_ “I don’t want to take a stupid test mom! Tests are hard and they make my head hurt.” _

_ “It’s not a written test, honey. In fact, I bet your sword hand will like it a ton!” _

_ “My sword hand will like it? Then come on, what are we waiting for?!” _

_ “Owain! Slow down, I can’t run in these heels! OWAIN!” _

\---

 

Owain was theatrical. He loved putting on a show if it meant that he’d make his friends and brother laugh, or groan, or roll their eyes and throw a boot at him. It took everyone’s mind off the hellscape they were in, off the pain, the fear, the panic. It was temporary usually, but it did the job, especially when uncle Chrom couldn’t do it himself. Owain much prefered being the clown of the group than the skilled swordsman he was. 

He had trained with his uncle Lon’qu to use a killing edge, the katana light in his hands. His parents wielded axes, staffs, bows and tomes, they had no experience with the blades of swords, so Owain had to seek guidance elsewhere. He was trained efficiently, but had been taught to only kill when necessary, if an enemy could be spared, spare them, so they could live another day and correct their mistakes. 

It’s why he hated killing.

He had watched his father get shot down by a Risen. Right in front of him, and he would’ve been too had he not slashed it in half and watched it turn into purple smoke in front of him. He swore to never kill if he had the chance to. Too many people had fallen already, he would not add more to the list of dead.

So that why he was shaking like a leaf against storming winds.

Owain pointed the tip of his killing edge towards the woman, hands trembling as she glared at his uncle, who returned the gesture with an equally menacing glare of his own. Owain could see how much Inigo was shaking from here, he was scared, all of them were, he could see Severa fisting at her sword sheath, trying to keep her cool, and Kjelle’s gaze flickered between different spots in the room, likely looking for some sort of opening in case the witch in front of them tried to attack or run. 

“I thought you died in Plegia.” Chrom finally hissed out lowly, Falchion still pointed at the sorceress. “Becca sent you flying away with your tail tucked between your legs like the coward you were.”

“Becca also fell to Grima, but you don’t hear me insulting her, now do you?” Aversa cooed, the knife she held still close to Inigo’s throat. “I can only imagine your pain, how long has it been? Eight years since Becca’s body became that of Grima? How many of your little pals are left, oh princey?”

Owain could feel the anger radiating off his uncle it boiled, it was like someone had pulled his hand into a fire. However, is uncle was wide open, and the woman no corralled between the four weapons pointed at her, Owain had to do something that would trap her. The boy slowly side stepped towards his uncle, Severa and Kjelle noticing his actions and doing the same from where they were, surrounding the witch. She only tensed more, Inigo whimpering in her hold, having stopped his struggling.

“Just me and Anna.” Chrom spat, heels digging into his boots as the metal of his boots clinked against the cobble floor. “Your god killed everyone else.”

“What joyous news. Validar-”

“Don’t utter his name or I swear on Falchion I’ll cut you into tiny pieces and feed you to the rats!” Chrom roared, the four kids yelping and shrinking, Aversa laughing.

_ ‘How is she not afraid? Uncle looks ready to kill her here and now!’ _ Owain thought to himself, gulping. He wished he was that scary when he was mad. 

“What fun it is teasing you. Father is the least of my concerns right now, I’m glad the bastard is gone, some father he was.” Aversa hissed. “First my poor brother Gangrel, then father, who will stain your blade next, me? It only seems natural that Becca would follow afterwards, hm?”

“I would never kill my wife.” Chrom snarled. 

“You say this yet you know killing her is the only way you can put an end to the madness Grima has unleashed upon this world.”

Owain’s eyes widened. Killing auntie was the only way the world would be safe? They had to kill Aunt Becca to stop this and finally leave in peace?

“I would  _ never _ kill my wife.” Chrom repeated, narrowing his eyes. 

Aversa hummed in an attempt to disregard him. “Is this one yours?” She pocketed the knife, the children breathing a collective sigh of relief, Inigo nearly fainting. “He has your hair, so I assume-”

“Are you insane? Is that what’s wrong with you?” Chrom asked, baffled, “You hold him at knife point and then expect small talk?”

“Oh I’m no threat to you, I’m dying anyway, Grima has made that certain.” Aversa huffed, letting Inigo go, the boy rushing to hide behind his father, covered by the thick cape he wore. “Curses are a nasty piece of work, Chrom, I thought you would know that.”

“Inigo!” Owain chirped gleefully. “You’re fine, cousin. You’re safe.”

“Like hell I am! I was this close to wetting myself, can you imagine the embarrassment?! I would’ve died there and then.”

“I’m sure you would’ve.” Severa snorted.

Owain watched his uncle, the tension never left his shoulders, his sword still in his hands as Aversa glared at him. “What, do you need more proof of my weakness? Please, you could kill me before I draw another breath.”

“Awfully aware that you might die here.”

“I’m aware I can die at any given time. It’s only a matter of when.”

Owain shifted uncomfortably as she walked closer, Chrom’s right arm shielding him, the Fire Emblem nearly covering his view of the woman in front of them. “Stay back.”

“Ah yes, you don’t like bold fighters, do you? Afraid what happened in the Midmire will happen again?”

“No. I just dispease you with every ounce of my being.”

“That’s not a lot of ounces.”

Chrom frowned, Severa covering her mouth to contain her giggles as Aversa smiled slyly, “Oh, sorry, I forgot you’re very… Small.”

“I’m the perfectly normal height for a man my age.” Chrom spat, Owain sighing as he withdrew Falchion, the sword settling back into its sheath.

“I’m taller than you, little man. Should've eaten your veggies, hm?” Aversa cooed as she walked past him, Chrom growling lowly and turning to face her. “Where are you even hiding, there are rooms here, you’re aware of?”

“Safety in numbers, I’d prefer to keep an eye on everyone here instead of letting them sleep in separate rooms.”

Owain separated from his uncle’s side, Inigo following after him quickly, the prince’s gray eyes still wide. “She could’ve killed me and laughed.” He whispered, Owain looking at him. “She looked ready to slit my throat there and then.”

“But she didn’t, that’s what matters, Inigo.” Owain chirped quietly, smiling a bit. “I’m really glad you’re okay.”

Inigo nodded absentmindedly, looking at his feet, his clothes stuck to his sides from how much he had sweated. “How does dad know her?”

“He mentioned Plegia, she probably worked for the Grimleal.” Owain said, shrugging as he put his own sword back in its sheath. “Uncle always said that after Grima awoke they scattered or went to serve him. If Aversa is a Grimleal, she’s pretty far away from Plegia, don’t you think?”

“Didn’t she mention she was cursed? Maybe she tried some sketchy stuff against him?” Inigo chirped, Owain pouting. “It seemed unlikely that she would be hiding from Grima if she were serving him, especially in such a wasteland like that of Regna Ferox.”

“She also mentioned she was Auntie’s sister.” Owain added thoughtfully. “Uncle did say Auntie was Plegian.”  
“They look nothing alike! I don’t believe it!” Inigo hissed, Owain flinching at the ferocity in his cousin’s voice. “Auntie didn’t have white hair or such dark skin.”

“I know you dolt! But imagine, maybe they’re half sisters! Sun and moon, warm and cold, summer and winter-”

“Owain, I am  _ this _ close to shoving my dagger up your-”

“He’s right,  _ nephew _ .”

The two boys squeaked, Inigo shoving Owain in front of him and hiding behind him. 

Aversa was there, Severa and Kjelle on either side of her, weapons drawn while Chrom stood behind her, hand squeezing the hilt of Falchion. The robe she wore was snug on her frame once more, and a tome she had clipped to a belt was visible, just so that in case she tried something she could be stopped quickly. Owain had never seen a tome like the one she had, at least not on a living person, many Plegian corpses had them near their bodies.

“Becca is my half sister. And Gangrel our half brother. And my father was the king of Plegia before it fell to Grima. Meaning you’re royalty through and through, little man.” Aversa cooed, Chrom shifting uncomfortably behind her. “We all had the same father, different mothers, our dad was not a loyal man. Don’t be anything like him when you’re older if you know what I mean, mhm?”

“Gross.” Inigo huffed, Owain sticking his tongue out in disgust. 

“Oh, but you have two mothers and fathers, as your dad explained to me so well. So aren’t you like him?”

“That’s different.” Inigo grumbled. “They were there for me. It’s not like they up and left me alone.”

Aversa shrugged, “But they did, even if not on their own terms.” She purred, “All parents leave eventually, be it by your hand or someone else.”

“Huh?’

“They died, did they not, so they technically left.” Aversa cooed. “You poor thing, all alone after they died, with only one of your parents left.”

She walked by, Inigo stepping forward to stand by Owain’s side as the group walked past, Kjelle and Severa leaving them. The blonde haired boy could feel the tension from his cousin, it wasn’t like Inigo to be so tense all the time.

“Hey… Are you alright?” Owain asked softly.

Inigo only shrugged, avoiding his gaze as he held his arms, nails digging into his clothes. 

“Having more than one dad or mom isn’t weird, you know.” Owain pressed, trying his best to comfort the blue haired prince as best he could. “I have two moms and a dad, it’s not a bad thing, Inigo.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you so upset?” Owain questioned, quickly standing in front of him and holding his shoulders, Inigo nearly falling over from the surprise. “You don’t really believe what she said right, about our parents leaving?”

Inigo whimpered, Owain looking at him in confusion before he felt his wrists get wet as the blue haired kid began to cry. “T-They left-t…” He whispered. “T-They lef-ft-t me-e…”

“Inigo-”

“I didn’t ask for any of this, Owain! I wanted to live happily with my parents in Regna Ferox! I wish I had stayed with them in the castle, then maybe they wouldn’t have died, maybe they’d still be here along with dad! Maybe I wouldn’t be so alone!”

“Inigo, this is Grima’s fault, not yours-”

“Grima is my mom, Owain!” Inigo wailed. “I-If she hadn’t left with everyone to go to Plegia maybe everyone would still be alive! Maybe we’d be playing instead of running, maybe we’d be safe for once in our lives!”

Owain could only watch as his cousin burst into sobs, the blonde watching him with a look of worry as Inigo only kept bawling, his face all red and his eyes getting puffy from the excessive crying. “I-Inigo… I’m sorry, I-I…”

“I-I want my mum… And pa… I-I want t-to go home-e…”

Owain hugged him quickly, Inigo stumbling slightly before he wrapped his arms around Owain, squeezing him tightly as he rested his head on his shoulder and wailed. Owain felt his own tears prick his eyes as he sniffed, tears rolling down his cheeks and staining the back  of Inigo’s shirt. He hadn’t hugged so many people in such close succession before, first Noire, his brother before bed the night before, and now his cousin.

“Inigo…” Owain started, voice trembling as he sniffed to keep his tears at bay. “W-We should head back to the group, come on, before we get lost.”

He only felt his cousin nod against his shoulder, the boy sniffing loudly. “O-Okay… O-Okay…”

“And Inigo?” Owain chirped quietly as his cousin let him go, wiping away the stray tears that made his cheeks wet.

“Y-Yeah…?”

“We’re gonna bring peace back, yeah? I swear on sword hand, no evil, stinking piece of dragon meat is going to stop me from having a long, happy life.” Owain snickered, smiling as his cousin giggled a bit at his remark. 

“Then I’m holding you to it. I swear on my dancing skills.”

“Then that’s that.” Owain chirped. “No more crying, or being sad. Our parents would never forgive us if we cried like pansies all the gosh darn time!”

“Yeah.”

“Now come on, before uncle Chrom gets worried.”

 

\---

 

_ “Hey uncle?” Owain chirped softly, his head resting on the pillow he was holding, he felt his uncle stir beside hi, Morgan and Marc protesting as their dad sat up, yawning. _

_ “Mhm… Owain, what’s up?”  _

_ “When’s momma coming home?” Owain asked quietly, gripping the pillow tightly. _

_ “I don’t really know, Owain… Your moms are fiesty, they don’t back down until the job is done.” Chrom cooed gently. “They love you a lot, and I bet they’re excited to see you again.” _

_ “But they promised they’d come home soon… They promised.” Owain whimpered. _

_ “Do you not like hanging out with me? I’m cool!” Chrom chuckled playfully, ruffling the boy’s hair as he let out a squeak of surprise.  _

_ “You’re super cool, Uncle Chrom, but I miss momma…” _

_ “...” Chrom let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. _

_ “Uncle Chrom. Are you okay?” The boy chirped curiously. _

_ “Owain, sit up for a second,” _

_ “Oh, yeah, sure.” Owain scrambled to sit up right, still holding his pillow as he faced his uncle. _

_ “I… I need to tell you something, it’s really important and… You have every right to hate me after I tell you this…”  _

_ “W-Why?” Owain whimpered. “You’re my uncle, I could never hate you!”  _

_ “Owain… Your moms are dead…” _

  
\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait with this chapter! I've been having a writing rut, so I might end up taking a break to let the creative juices flow. Kjelle and Owain were a lot harder to write for because of this writer's block, so expect some editing in the future? The next chapter will likely be about Gerome or Lucina. 
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me for so long!! I appreciate all the love you've given me while writing this <3

**Author's Note:**

> //flops onto the floor and dies immediately
> 
> Hello my name is Tia and I spent an entire day on this and I'm really proud!!  
> You've probably heard of me, but I'm shiny-totodiiles on Tumblr, shiny.totodiiles on Instagram and shiny_totodiile on Twitter! Thank you so much for reading my fic!! It means so much to me!! I accept all forms of constructive criticism, but if you can't leave a comment a kudos is great too!!
> 
> I've never written for Noire before, but it was exciting and fun!! She's a very interesting character!  
> For those of you who are curious
> 
> Valmese (Cherche, Virion, Gerome and Laurent) speak primarily French, Plegians (Tharja, Henry, Becca, Morgan, Marc, Lucina, and Noire) speak mostly Spanish and Feroxi (Lon'qu, Olivia and Inigo) speak mostly Russian  
> Chrom can speak Spanish just not fluently  
> prepare yourself for this madness


End file.
